


Enemy within

by Enide_Dear



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: M/M, Soooo much angst, but not the sexy kind, gratious nudity, poor prom, someone better give him a lot of hugs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-19 10:09:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11311188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enide_Dear/pseuds/Enide_Dear
Summary: King Regis finds out that Prompto is an MT, but Noct will not stand by and see his best friend get executed.





	1. Chapter 1

It didn’t exactly start innocently, but it deteriorated with the speed of a falling meteor.   
   
Gladio had insisted that Prompto got at least a few basic fighting lessons if he was the prince’s friend and Ignis had agreed that it was an exposed position and that Prompto would do well to at least be able to protect himself. So Noctis had invited his friend over for a few sword lessons at the citadel. Prompto had utterly sucked at them, and when Noct’s wooden practice sword came whizzing at his face, he’d tripped in his panic and the flat of the blade had smacked him straight between the eyes, making him pass out.  An ambulance had rushed him to the hospital.   
   
In his room, Noctis paced. Ignis gave him an almost amused look.   
   
“Now, now, don’t worry Noct. Prompto will be fine. I’m sure it’s only a mild concussion.”  
   
“Yeah, but it’s my fault!” Feeling like shit, Noctis kept pacing. “And why aren’t they calling me? I told them to call me as soon as he woke up!”  
   
“You’re damn right it’s your fault.” Gladio looked up from his book. “What gave you the idea to be his trainer? You’re barely half trained yourself! This is what happens when amateurs…”  
   
“Gladio,” there was definitely a warning tone in Ignis voice and the Shield to be wisely shut up. “Accidents do happen. Your friend will be fine.”  
   
“Yeah, but….” Noct didn’t get further before the phone rang and he almost dropped it in haste. “How is he? Is he awake? What do you mean, complications?! Is he…fuck it, I’m coming over!”  
   
Both Gladio and Ignis had tensed up as Noct got paler and paler during the short call and before the prince even had time to explain, Ignis said.   
   
“We’re talking my car. You can explain along the way.”  
   
   
“Damn it, Iggy, you need to get a better car.” Gladio grumbled as they drove as fast as Ignis old car could manage on Insomninas streets.   
   
“I know, I know. Noct, what did they say?” Ignis kept both hands on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road, but all of his attention was direct towards the pale prince.   
   
"Dad just said there were complications. He didn't say what." Noctis squirmed nervously. "Can't you go any faster?!"  
   
"We're almost there. " Ignis said at the same time that Gladio frowned.   
   
“Wait, what’s the King doing there?”  
   
As it turned out It wasn’t just the King that waited for them, but a whole cadre of Crownsguards stood outside the hospital room when Noctis pushed his way through the tightlipped throng of people, pulling Ignis and Gladio along. No one tried to stop them, but there was a look in their eyes that made Noct’s hackles rise and entering the room did nothing to sooth him.   
   
Two Crownsguards with drawn weapons stood by the hospital bed, as well as King Regis and Clarus, but Noct only had eyes for the bed and the pale figure shivering in it.   
   
“Noctis….” His father reached for him but Noct slapped his hand away, rushing over to the bed to grab Prompto’s limp hand.   
   
It was cuffed to the steel railing of the bed, as was his other hand and both feet. A thin paper hospital gown barely covered the gunner’s scrawny body.   
   
“What the Hell?!”Staring, Noctis felt a shock of cold go through him. “Prom, what’s happened?!”  
   
Prompto didn’t answer; he threw himself away from Noct as far as the cuffs allowed, burying his face in the scratchy matrass, his eyes shut hard. Soft tears ran down his cheeks and his jaws were shut so hard the muscles bounced along the jawline.   
   
“What’s wrong, what’s…” A hand on his shoulder interrupted Noctis and he looked up on his father who looked tired and sad.   
   
“Calm down son.” The king pulled him closer. “I understand this is all difficult to take in but…”  
   
“What is difficult?! What the hell is happening? What is wrong with him?!”  Noctis screamed, his confusion making things so much worse.   
   
King Regis didn’t answer. Instead, he reached down and took the limp hand from Noctis’ grip, twisting it so the backside of the naked arm became visible.   
   
And on it, clear as day, the horrible, damning sight of a barcode. A Niefelheim, MT barcode. There wasn’t a person in the room that didn’t recognize it.   
   
Noctis dropped the hand he’d been holding. Gladio swore and instinctively called up his sword and Ignis, who’d been approaching the bed with a blanket, stopped dead in his track. From the bed came a muffled sob.  
   
“So what?” Shaking, Noctis took up the hand again. “It’s just a stupid tattoo. He probably got it when he was drunk or something, like that moogle Ignis got on his butt.”  
   
There came a pained wince from the advisor but no one was in the mood to laugh. The prince snapped the blanket from his hand and tucked it in around Prompto’s shaking body.   
   
“You are not an MT, Prom. That is just stupid.” He muttered, but again his father’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.   
   
Without a word, King Regis bent down and removed the blanket. Pushing the hospital gown up he exposed Prompto’s back and flank but no one cared about that. Not when the obvious cable ports along the side of his body came into view.   
   
Noctis couldn’t help it. He stumbled backwards and Gladio caught him, holding him upright as his father’s voice  - from somewhere far away on the other side of a waterfall perhaps – echoed in his ears.   
   
“I am very sorry Noct, but it appears the Nifs have managed placed a spy close to you. I am just relieved we caught it in time. Investigations on how will start tomorrow, after the execution.”  
   
“Execution….”Noct’s voice was barely a whisper.   
   
“No use torturing it,” came Clarious gruff answer. “It’s just a robot. It doesn’t have feelings.”  
   
“I am so sorry son.” King Regis sighed. “I know you believed it to be your friend. Gladio, Ignis, please take my son home. He will need you around until he’s settled.”  
   
“No!” Sudden fury overtook Noctis and Gladio swore as he tried to keep him still. “No, you can’t kill him! He is not an MT! Gladio, put me down! Put me down now!” But he was inescapably pulled out of the room and the Crownsguard shut  the way in. “Prompto! I wont let them hurt you!” was the last scream to echo down the corridors. 

TBC  
 


	2. Chapter 2

   
 Prompto was so cold. The blanket Noct had tucked around him and been shoved off by the king and his thin paper gown was not enough to retain any body heat. He was vaguely aware that he was shaking so bad the cuffs rattled against the bed and it seemed so unfair.  
   
If he was just an MT like they said, shouldn’t he at least be impervious to cold? He was hungry to, and thirsty, and his head still throbbed from where Noct had accidently hit him with the training sword. Because once the doctors got their hands on his unconscious body and saw just what he was, of course no one was going to waste precious medical resources on him.   
   
All those demands of his body sort of floated around him, occasionally lighting up the cloud of utter despair that engulfed him like lightning through a storm.   
   
He was a traitor – a danger to Noctis and everyone else in Insomnia – and he hadn’t even known it.   
   
No, even worse. He’d known he was an MT and he hadn’t told them. He’d lived like a human for so long, through loneliness and abandonment and he just as he was getting a friend – three friends – it all came back.  
It would all end now, before it had even really begun; the end of friendship and laughter and life.  
   
He was a monster. He should just be glad he hadn’t actually hurt anyone before they put an end to him.   
   
There were a Crownsguard still in the room next to the bed, weapons drawn and suspicious, alert eyes on him. There would be no escape even if he had wanted to.   
   
Suddenly the Crownsguard grunted and slapped his neck as if a fly had bit him. Something small and pointed protruded from the skin and he barely had time to open his mouth before he crashed to the floor, weapons falling from suddenly weak hands.   
   
“Nice work, Iggy. Didn’t know you could use a blowdart.” Gladio’s voice was all but drowned out when Noct ran into the room, grabbing Prompto’s hand.   
   
“Promto, are you ok? Don’t worry, we’ll get you out of here.” Eyes shining with worry, Noct tried to get some kind of reaction from the pale, cold gunner.   
   
”I just committed a crime to the state,” Ignis said, sounding mildly shocked at his own actions. “Treason. Quite in parity with being an MT. Well,” he let out a shaky laugh. “Perhaps not, but since the punishment is the same, what’s the difference?” He slumped down in a chair, hands shaking around the tube he’d used.   
   
“Prom? Prompto? He is not answering, Gladio, get him free.” Noctis commanded with just a quick glance at his shell shocked advisor. The shield grunted and got out a pair of heavy bolt cutters, putting the pincers around the chains of the handcuffs.   
   
“Gladio?” Prompto whispered quietly, but the Shield just shrugged.   
   
“I’m Noct’s Shield, not the Kings. I’m supposed to protect him and help him with anything.” He pressed the bolt cutters and the chain snapped.   
   
“We’re going to Altissa.” Noct had grabbed his now free hand, holding it tight to his chest in blatant disregard of the condemning barcode. “We’ll meet up with Luna there. She can help you. Remove the Starscourge, if there is any in you.” His blue eyes were shiny as if he struggled with tears.   
   
“No!” Prompto tore his hand from the prince’s grip, panic rushing through him. “No, you can’t! What if I…what if I hurt you? I can’t be trusted!”  
   
“Then I’ll snap your spine over my knee like a twig.” Gladio reached down and pulled him upright. “Don’t worry about it.”  
   
“Come now, we’ve already committed several capital offences getting you free.” Slightly more collected, Ignis got up and ushered him from the bed. “There better be some gain to it.”  
   
Dizzy with too much happening in too little time, Prompto staggered to his feet, Noct’s arm a steadying weight around his shoulders. He was shaking badly, quivering to the very core of his being (and what was that core? A magitech?) when Ignis found the scratchy hospital blanket and put it over his shoulders.   
   
“I have some extra clothes in my pack,” he mumbled as he navigated the prince and his friend around the fallen Crowns Guard and out into the hospital corridor.  Gladio took the lead point. “Let’s just get out of here and we can….”  
   
He fell short as the light was turned on, cold uncompromising light that made them all stagger back a step, arms over their eyes.  
   
A cadre of Crowns Guards stood in the corridor, blocking the exit. And amongst them, King Regis and his Shield.  
   
Gladio and Ignis called up weapons – weapons that looked decisively small and childish  compared to the heavy, sharp things in the Guards hands - but the two youngsters breath was coming too fast and short and the hesitation in their eyes were clear. Noctis threw his arms around Prompto who almost fell to the floor, holding him tight.   
   
“I’m not letting you kill him, father!” He shouted.   
   
King Regis stood still, even as Clarius shifted uncomfortably, looking at his defiant son and nervous defenders and the pale shaking thing between them.   
   
“I am taking him to Altissa,” Noctis said stubbornly. “Luna can….Luna can help him.”  
   
Regis  sighed and put a hand in his pocket; he withdrew something and tossed it to Ignis who caught it even though he dropped his daggers doing so, causing Gladio to hiss.  
   
“The keys to the Regalia. You better leave right now. The news have already spread and the people of Insomnina will not be happy to let a Nif agent escape.”  
   
 “Your Majesty…”Clarus started but then fell silent. “Here, take this.” He added gruffly, handling over his huge shield to his son who took it, confused. “You’d damn well better bring it back dented.”  
   
“Dad, I….” Noctis was interrupted as Regis just shook his head.   
   
“There is no time. Give Luna my regards, will you?” He smiled sadly. “Walk tall my son.”  
   
   
   
“That was….intense.” Ignis hands shook but he managed to get the key in the ignition and the huge car started with a smooth roar.   
   
Gladio just grunted as he was carrying both Prompto and his father’s shield, but he managed to get the younger man into the backseat. Noctis quickly clambered in after him, talking softly to his friend.   
   
“Take this.” From his duffel trunk, Gladio got out a protein bar and a sport drink. “He’ll feel better if he gets something in him. Helps to ground him.” Noct gratefully accepted and as soon as Gladio had taken up the shotgun seat next to Ignis, they moved out.   
   
Prompto sat very quietly, wrapped in the blanket, while Noct more or less forced food and drink into him. But Gladio was right; the food and the warmth of the car slowly brought him back a little from the brink he’d been tethering on. Nocts arms around him might have helped a little to.   
   
“Guys?” he said hoarsely.  
   
“Don’t worry,” Noct said quickly. “We’ll take care of you.”  
   
“Are you alright?” Ignis asked from the driver’s seat, the familiar motions of driving doing a lot to help him calm down.   
   
“I….no.” Prompto licked his lips, looking around wildly. “I feel kinda strange.”  
   
“Exhaustion and shock.” Ignis nodded. “It will pass. We’ll keep you warm and try to sleep if you can. We’ll leave Insomnina and be on the open road in an hour or so.”  
   
“Yeah, not like it’s heavy traffic at this time of night,” Gladio added. “You want some more to drink? Eat?”  
   
“No. No. I’m good, I’ll….I’ll just try to sleep a little.” Prompto managed a faint smile.  
   
“I’ll take care of you,” Noctis said firmly, pulling him down gently to rest with his head in the prince’s lap. “Everything will be fine. You’ll see. It will be fine.”

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Things will not be fine, though


	3. Chapter 3

   
When Prompto woke up they had left Insomnia behind them and the sun was slowly rising towards noon. Noctis was fast asleep, head leaned back on the leather upholstery and mouth open, and in the front seat, Gladio was gently snoring with his head wedged against the side of the car.   
   
Ignis was looking bleary eyed and tired as the car ate up the miles, but he spared a quick glance back at Prompto and smiled.   
   
“How are we today?” he said softly, not to wake the others.   
   
“Um. Fine, I guess.” Prompto sat up, careful not to disturb Noctis. He couldn’t quite look at Ignis. “Look, I am….I am sorry. You know. For everything.”  
   
Ignis hummed something non committing under his breath.   
   
“You never knew?” He finally asked.  
   
Promto was quiet for a while but then he sighed.  
   
“I always knew about the….the tattoo. And that I was from Niefelheim. My foster parents…they just taught me that the tattoo was bad. That I had to keep it covered up at all times. As well as….the other parts.” Subconciously, he scratched at the ports along his flank, still not looking at Ignis. “It wasn’t until I got older that I figured out what they meant and even then I couldn’t….” He sighed, and leaned back with closed eyes. “I couldn’t tell anyone. I mean. You saw what happened. What people think.”  
   
“Not everyone,” Ignis chided gently and added. “You should have told us.”  
   
“I couldn’t.”  
   
“I supposed not.” Ignis spotted something ahead and adjusted his glasses. “Ah, a Crows Nest. I suppose we can stop for breakfast and gas. There are some clothes for you in the bag by your feet; we’ll toss that paper gown in the trash when we get there.”  
   
“Ignis?”  
   
“Yes?”  
   
“Thank you.”  
   
Ignis smiled.   
   
   
   
“Are we there yet?” Noctis groaned as Gladio pulled him out of the car and on to his feet on the hot parking lot.  
   
“Not yet, princess. As fast as your dad’s car is, it can’t fly you know.” Gladio grunted as he got his prince upright. “Got a few days of driving before we get to Galdin Quay and then the ferry to Altissa. See it as an adventure.”  
   
Noctis muttered something about adventures and were Gladio could shove them and Prompto had to hide a grin.   
   
   
They had some breakfast and then Noctis took the wheel while Ignis dozed in the back seat next to Gladio. The road stretched on in front of them, mile by mile eaten up by the Regalias smooth driving, and the sun was high in the sky so Noct let the top down.  
   
Prompto leaned back and let the wind and sun fill him, as if it could burn out the stain inside him. Next to him, Noctis chuckled.   
   
“First time outside the Wall?” He asked and Prompto nodded.   
   
“First time I can remember anyway. It’s…nice out here.” He smiled unsteadily.   
   
“Yeah, maybe it kind of is an adventure after all.”  
   
“Think we’ll get a happy ending?” he tried to quip, but Noct gave him a very serious glance.   
   
“Let’s get to Altissa. Luna will help us.” Was all he answered and Prompto wasn’t sure, but it sounded more like a prayer than a plan.   
   
   
“We will have to save our funds for the ferry, so I suggest camping until we reach Galdin Quay,” Ignis said as the sun started to dip towards the horizon, eliciting a long groan from Noct and a barely subdued cheer from his Shield. Ignis ignored them both. “There is a haven not far from here, according to the map. It will keep us safe from demons.”  
   
“And what about safe from starvation?” The prince muttered, even though the car was already heading for a parking spot.   
   
“I am sure I can whip something up.”  
   
“Guys….I’m not feeling so good.” Staring at the setting sun, Prompto shivered and rubbed at his bare arms. “Is it getting cold?”  
   
“Cold? It must be 20° C still in this dustbowl.” Gladio frowned at the smaller man.   
   
Prompt looked dangerously pale and suddenly he hunched over, hands over his midsection. The shadows grew longer around them, the sun barely a sliver of red above the horizon.   
   
Noct felt dread uncoil in his belly, none the less potent for having no logical reason.   
   
“You are probably just hungry,” he said with a slightly forced cheerfulness, putting an arm around him. “Come on, we’ll get to camp and…”  
   
Prompto slapped his arm away, hard, and stumbled towards the Shield who dropped all of his camping gear on the ground, instinctively getting into fighting position.   
   
“Gladio…” Prompto’s voice was hoarse and strange and his eyes had a sickly glow to them. “Hold me!”  
   
“What?!” Confusion made Gladio take a step back, but jealously bloomed ugly in Noctis. What the Hell was this?! Was Prompto….but he’d never shown any affection towards Gladio before.  
   
“Hold me!” Prompto screamed and suddenly jealousy seemed like the most shallow, unimportant thing ever. Because Prompto was starting to turn.   
   
His face got strange and flat, except for the glowing eyes, and demon armor – MT armor – materialized around him, including the brutal weapons of the Niff army. Prompto threw himself at Gladio who grabbed on to him – not in an embrace but in a crushing, restraining grip, pinning his arms to his sides. The MT that had been Prompto howled in rage, fighting to get free even as Gladio wrestled it down to the ground.   
   
“Prom!” Noct screamed as the sound form the MT because harsher, but Ignis grabbed his arm and pulled him back.  
   
“Get him onto the haven! Quickly now!” He shouted at Gladio, who was grunting with effort to keep the demon possessed soldier down.   
   
“The haven? Wont that…” but one look on Ignis face made Gladio wisely shut up. With a heave he got the MT up from the ground and started dragging him towards the haven, fighting for every inch.   
   
Terrified to the very core of his being, Noct ran next to them. He realized he was babbling incoherently but he just couldn’t stop himself.  
   
“It’s alright Prom, it’s alright, it will be fine, it will be good, you can’t turn on me, you have to come back, please man come back, I love you, you have to come back to me!”  
   
With one last heave, Gladio dragged the MT over the haven ground.  
   
The change was instantly. The demon armor disappeared in a cloud of greasy smoke, leaving behind a terrified and half-dead looking Prompto who clawed his way out of Gladio’s grip. In front of this shocked friends, Prompto all but dragged himself to the edge of the Haven with his fingernails, leaned over it and threw up a black sticky mess over the edge.   
   
“I am so sorry,” he whispered as he sank to his knees, shaking uncontrollably. “I’m so sorry, so sorry, so sorry….”  
   
“What….what happened?” Hesitating just for a second, Noctis ran over and scoped the gunner up in his arms. But Prompto either didn’t know the answer or was to ashamed and distraught to tell him; he just hid his face in Noct’s shirt, sobbing quietly.   
   
“I suppose….I suppose the Wall has kept the demons at bay in more ways than one for all these years,” Ignis tried not to show just how rattled he was. “From now on we must make sure to be in an Haven before nightfall every day.”  
   
Noct nodded, but was too busy trying to comfort Prompto to see when Gladio slided up next to Ignis and whispered:  
   
“How did you know this would work? I thought Havens killed demons!”  
   
“I didn’t.” Ignis sighed. “But what choice did we have?”


End file.
